I started experimenting with different variations of this dish a year ago, and it has since become everything I could hope for. I know it can be irritating to hear constant and exaggerated praise for every recipe that appears on your social media feeds, but I truly believe this dish deserves it. This warm salad is perfect for chilly weather and an excellent introduction to cabbage for those who are unsure (especially if you use savoy cabbage, which is lighter and more delicate than white or red cabbage). It’s an easy vegetable dish that isn’t a boring salad or bland broccoli, and even my kids approve of it (they love the crispy outer leaves). It’s even better when served straight from the baking tray, which keeps it hot and saves on washing up. With preparation time and oven warming, it takes exactly 20 minutes to make. Best of all, it’s an affordable and modest dish that feels particularly satisfying during a time of year when we’re spending on so many other things.
This recipe is based on one from the excellent vegetable cookbook Six Seasons, which I often reference in my posts (such as this asparagus salad and this soup). I made several modifications to the original recipe, as I found that the cooking time was too long without flipping the cabbage and that it tasted better when cooked on both sides. I also skipped the breadcrumbs and used lemon instead of saba or vinegar to achieve the desired flavor. The original recipe called for roasting the cabbage in butter instead of olive oil, but I found this caused it to smoke too much. To enhance the lemon flavor, I added lemon zest. The recipe called for toasted nuts, which I incorporated into my version below, but I usually toast them separately. Honestly, it’s been so long since I looked at the original recipe that I had to consult the book to remember all the changes I made, but once you’ve made it a few times, you won’t need to refer back.
At times, I have elevated the dressing by adding a minced anchovy or a tablespoon of minced olives or capers. For a little crispiness, I have put parmesan on top and quickly returned the tray to the oven. However, parmesan is not essential for the recipe to shine. As someone who enjoys eggs, I can confirm that adding a crispy egg or two on top would take this dish to the next level. If I didn’t have other dishes to experiment with and opinions from others distracting me, I would definitely make this dish with a crispy egg every week. Hopefully, you will adopt this as a weekly habit too.
I recently had the opportunity to spend 48 hours in New Orleans without my children. I wrote about our fast-paced trip and itinerary, which you may find interesting. Additionally, I plan to write about our upcoming summer trip to Ireland and a long weekend we spent in Paris in June. Although I don’t often get to travel this much, it has been a fortunate year for me. As I write this, I am currently staying in a hotel in Cincinnati.
Before
Six months earlier: Potato Vareniki
A year earlier: Drop Cornbread Biscuits
Two years earlier: Endive Salad with Toasted Breadcrumbs and Walnuts
Three years earlier: Root Vegetable Gratin
Four years earlier: Kale and Caramelized Onion Stuffing
Five years ago: Horseradish-Smoked Whitefish Dip and Sticky Toffee Pudding
Six years ago: Flawless Minimalist Chicken Broth
Seven years ago: Granola-Crusted Nut Mix
Eight years ago: Sour Cream and Baked Pumpkin Pudding
Nine years ago: Chickpea Spaghetti
Ten years ago: Moroccan Spaghetti Squash with Spices
Eleven years ago: Swiss Chard and Garlic Chips Spaghetti
Twelve years ago: Sautéed Apples with Lemon-Ricotta Pancakes
Thirteen years ago: Dreamy Cream Scones
Roasted Cabbage with Walnuts and Parmesan
Serves: 2 to 4
Preparation time: 20 minutes
Source: Adapted from Six Seasons
Avoid using a large cabbage as it may be too dense inside to achieve a crispy texture without steaming. It is advisable to opt for two smaller cabbages instead of one giant one, if possible.
1 Savoy cabbage, medium-large (1 3/4 pounds) or two small heads
7 tablespoons of extra-virgin olive oil, divided
1 teaspoon of kosher salt, plus more to taste
Freshly ground black pepper
Scant 1/2 cup (1.75 ounces) of walnut halves and pieces
1 large or 2 smaller garlic cloves
1 large lemon
Red pepper flakes, like Aleppo (optional)
Grated parmesan cheese, to taste
Preheat the oven to 475oF. Trim any damaged outer leaves of the cabbage and slice into 8 wedges for small ones or 12 wedges for a larger one. Grease a large baking sheet with 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Place the cabbage wedges in a single layer and drizzle or brush with 2 more tablespoons of olive oil. Sprinkle with 1 teaspoon of kosher salt and black pepper to taste. Roast for 8 to 10 minutes until the wedges are charred underneath. Don’t worry if some thin black edges appear, they’ll still taste great. Use a spatula to flip each wedge and roast for an additional 5 minutes until the edges of the cabbage are dark brown.
Meanwhile, as the cabbage is roasting, place the nuts on a small baking tray and roast them alongside the cabbage for about 4-5 minutes. Once done, remove them from the tray and scatter them on a cutting board. Coarsely chop the nuts and transfer them to a bowl. Add the zest of half a lemon and minced garlic to the nuts. Pour in the remaining 3 tablespoons of olive oil, a few pinches of salt and red pepper flakes and mix everything together. Let the mixture rest for a couple of minutes to infuse the flavors. Squeeze half a lemon over the mixture and stir. Adjust the flavors to your taste by adding more lemon juice if preferred. The dressing should have a robust flavor.
Once the cabbage is out of the oven, pour the walnut dressing over the wedges and sprinkle grated parmesan according to your liking. Serve it straight away while it is still hot to avoid any leftovers.
Equipment: My all-time favourite spatula comes in handy for flipping the large wedges. I recommend using a Microplane rasp with a larger surface area, and this is the one I prefer.
